FINDING COMFORT

Comfort and Joy Trilogy, Book Two

by

Kimberly Fish

Women’s Fiction / Contemporary / Cozy Mystery

Publisher: Fish Tales Publishing

Date of Publication: September 1, 2023

Number of Pages: 312 pages

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Even with all her experience, Gloria Bachman, retired banker, and candy entrepreneur, didn’t see this coming.

Sweeties, the beloved Comfort chocolate shop, was ready for its cameo in advertising extraordinaire Jazzy Mezcal’s famous travel and food show! Comfort town folks had worked hard all summer to get their shops Hallmark-movie ready. On the eve of the TV crews overtaking the town, Gloria’s Chamber of Commerce welcome party gets drenched in a wicked rainstorm. Locals call it a “blue norther,” and a dreaded agent of change. Flooding seems like the worst of their problems until the celebrity TV host turns up dead.

In shock, Gloria’s friends turn to her to figure out who could be responsible for such a disaster. With the TV crew and guests in town for the 8^th Street Market’s annual shopping event, suspects are endless. Reluctant to get involved, Gloria would much rather focus on the delicious romance with Mason Lassiter. And she would if a frenemy from Kerrville didn’t haunt her every step. Now, as Gardner Rogers treads on her turf, everything feels suspicious.

With all eyes on Gloria to find the truth behind Jazzy Mezcal’s untimely death, she indulges her curiosity for problem-solving while trying to disguise how unsure she is about the future with her boyfriend. Disruption in Mason’s world, mayhem in Comfort, and one epic chocolate disaster rouse Gloria to action and make her decide what’s worth fighting for. All she can say for sure is that no one is finding any comfort in Comfort.

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I have fallen in love with Comfort, Texas, and I really need to visit there sometime soon. I love small towns and the unique character they bring to those around them.

This story has me laughing, yet on pins and needles, as Gloria seeks the truth in a local homicide. There were so many surprises regarding the death of the network star that it kept me guessing throughout. Just when you think you know the full story, you are smacked with a new twist that you didn’t see coming. To even hint at those twists would ruin the book for you, so this means you will have to pick up the book and read it.

Gloria is growing on me. She is an older protagonist, which I appreciate. It is nice to know that not all main characters are younger and that the wisdom and maturity that she brings to the pages reflect well on her. There are so many great quotes from the book that relate to Gloria that I need to share a few with you.

“You feel responsible for everyone. It’s one of your worst traits.”

“You have an over-developed helper gene…”

“What you think is some dumb luck attributed to women who like to dress up and find the softer side of life is really a carefully honed skill. I earned it by sharp knocks, obstacles, heartbreak, and a lot of hard work. Some people call it character. I like to call it grit.”

These are all true of Gloria. She is kind to a fault and will go the extra mile for her friends. Yet she is tough when the situation calls for it. She had some tough times, but she is back on her feet with a chocolate shop (one of my dreams!) and a new love interest, Mason. I like that because they are older, they appreciate taking their time in getting to know one another and not rushing into anything too quickly. Their path together is not smooth, but I think this helps their relationship blossom and become stronger. There are some things tied to Mason’s past that will need to be resolved, but at least they are working on it together, and he isn’t shutting her out.

Gloria has also moved past putting up with shenanigans from people in her past, namely one Gardner Rogers. This woman has something up her sleeve, but it is hard to know exactly what. We learn a little bit more about her and her past with Gloria, but there is more than meets the eye with this one. So watch out for her!

There are a few other lines I wanted to share with you. If you are a woman, you will understand and perhaps even laugh at these statements.

“Menopause changed me. Honey, it changed us all. It’s like puberty’s ugly step-sister.”

“I’ll text Margo that you’re next door. She’ll want to come make tea or whatever it is you ladies do in crisis moments.”

This book stepped up the mystery aspect over the first in this series so much that I feel it fits into the cozy category. But there are plenty of other attributes to enjoy outside of seeking the truth in Jazzy’s untimely death.

This author knows how to bring friends together in support, good times and bad, and even when tracking down a killer.

We give this book 5 paws up.

Kimberly Fish has been a professional writer in marketing and media for over thirty years, with regular contributions to area newspapers and magazines. As an accidental historian, she wrote two novels, The Big Inch and Harmon General, both based on factual events in Longview, Texas, that changed world history. Kimberly also offers a set of contemporary women’s fiction novels and novellas based in the Texas Hill Country that reveal her fascination with characters discovering their grit and sweet, second chances; all four of the novels have won distinguished awards. Finding Comfort is her latest novel, the second book in the Comfort and Joy Trilogy.

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Signed copy of FINDING COMFORT + surprise bonus gift!

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